Leaderboard

Here is something I found on the red Phoenix a few years back. Unknown - Red Phoenix Meditation.pdf

Your meaning about grounding seems of out of sync with the true definition. The true meaning of grounding to be keep your body in a stable condition to maintain balance. The most effective grounding position is the keep both feet flat on the floor or ground. Nowadays, any exercise with the knee passed the toes is considered to be a bad practice. It is because it puts lots of stresses on the knee cap that might cause problems. As far as I know, there were many Taiji practitioners had made this mistake and caused permanent damage at the knee joint. The correct movement is always to point the knee at the same direction of the toes and do not go beyond the toes. If the knee was not properly align with the toes will cause permanent damage to the knee joint.

Hi everyone, I’ve been practicing Spring Forest Qigong for over two years now, and overall it has helped me a lot., I feel calmer, more regulated, and in many ways it has really supported my healing process. So I’m genuinely grateful for that. At the same time, there’s this question that keeps coming up for me: Is this really the Qigong form that fits me best? What has been bothering me is that in the courses I attended, certain topics were never really addressed — especially things like Qi deviation or how to deal with intense or unusual experiences (including what some people might call “paranormal” phenomena). I’ve had some experiences during practice — seeing or feeling things that were quite strong — and I honestly felt a bit scared at times because I didn’t have any framework for understanding them. I had to research everything on my own. There was nothing in the books or teachings I received that openly talked about potential side effects, energetic imbalances, or how to handle them. That felt too superficial for me. Almost like only the positive, healing aspects were emphasized, but not the possible challenges. I also want to say that I find Chunyi Lin, the founder of Spring Forest Qigong, very inspiring. His story, his presence, and what he has built are impressive to me. I genuinely respect him and what he represents. So this is not about criticizing him as a person or teacher. But even with that respect and inspiration, I still notice that the form itself — the way Spring Forest Qigong is structured and taught — doesn’t fully give me the feeling that this is 100% what I need. Something in me still feels uncertain or not completely aligned. Recently, I’ve looked into other forms like Zhineng Qigong, and there it seems that these kinds of intense or unusual experiences are at least acknowledged and sometimes even described as part of the path that can be integrated consciously. That made me reflect even more on what I’m actually looking for in a practice. So now I’m really asking myself: What are the markers that tell you a Qigong form truly fits you? Is it about physical results? Emotional stability? Feeling grounded and safe? ( maybe the most important?) How transparent the teachers are about risks and intense experiences? An inner sense of alignment? And in what way could my own viewpoint be the problem? What can i expect from a good qigong form? I’m considering committing to one form for 100 days straight to really test it — and then honestly evaluate how my nervous system feels, whether I feel more stable and clear, or whether something feels off. I’d really appreciate hearing from long-term practitioners: How did you know your form was right for you? What are healthy signs — and what are red flags? Thanks in advance for sharing your experiences.

I was aiming for three messages (although a longer post could aim for more.) 1) Any practice falls on the foundation of who you are. If you are a person with a sense of responsibility to yourself, aka self discipline, you are likely to transfer this attitude onto how you go about practicing qigong. That's the message I derive from Person A's experience. 2) You don't have to "believe" in it -- just give it a fair trial period and your results (or lack thereof) will speak louder than any pre-conceived ideas. Positive ones are likely to keep you coming back. Like Person B. 3) Different strokes. Some like rock, some can't stand it and only want opera, which rock aficionados might find extremely annoying. Many people have to watch their diet because they want to lose weight -- but I, for instance, have to watch my diet so as to avoid losing weight. Qigong can be "metabolized" (or not) in a similar vein -- individual preferences (ideally reasonable and sensible rather than whimsical) are allowed a say in what we seek and what we avoid. Person C in my example practices taiji neigong, which makes qigong very optional, and not wanting to practice it, quite reasonable.

@dwai I have now finished it. It was a very interresting experience that managed bypass my "logic mind" and a very good read, with a great ending and moral. It also fills me with a sense of wonder. If youd like to tell about your inspirations and such, id love to hear.

Greetings! I'm Long! Very happy to found this community! I'm in a journey within myself and i need your help! i'm in a serious deep meditation road, i believe i can reach Very deep states, levels of energy, but i don't know which way to follow. I've read many articles about Nei Gong, Tai Chi, Kundalini, "Everywhere meditation" (Open Eyes). etc. I think, do i have to choose a Path? Or can i be Pathless and find my own Path inside myself? Anyway i have a LOT to learn yet, explore and discover and i Will really appreciate to be part of this community! Best Regards and blessings for us!

Be frank, nothing in this world fits you perfectly. Even if you find something best fit today, the environment or yourself will change tomorrow. The easiest way is just enroll into different courses and find the suitable one. And you practise the one in your arsenal which helps you most at that very moment in time.

Hi Long, I have had similar thoughts to yours regarding paths, i would say it's best to observe yourself, see what you like, see what you dislike, ask yourself why this is the case for anything and try to keep to an ethical code so you are guided along a virtuous path. I like buddha's teachings and orthodox christian stuff as good examples of a moral code. Try not to get stuck in dogmatic thinking (this is a reminder to myself too)

It means try to relax with no tension on the muscles.

I tried this based on your suggestion and it seemed to mostly work but could somehow still agitate my knees somewhat. It didn't get the energy down as well as standing but seemed like it may do the job long term. I stopped all practices for a while and cut this too. Now I have restarted with the standing vs as I had a hunch all my work with exercise and treatments working on correcting my legs had paid off and turns out it had. I seem to be able to do deep earth pusling for a while without too much issues for the knees or ankle joint. The grounding effect has so far been very good. I have been burnt too many times to be super confident this will work long term. So many grounding exercises work for me initially but eventually makes things worse. But so far this seems to be working. I am on day 8 now. I haven't been this hopeful in many years:). Thanks for the advice!

**"Sung the body"** (often just "sung") refers to a core principle in Tai Chi and Qigong, where "sung" (鬆, sōng) means a deep, controlled release of tension throughout the body.[1][3] ## Core Meaning Sung goes beyond surface-level relaxation; it's about loosening joints from within, stretching tissues like rubber for elasticity without limpness or stiffness. This creates space for qi (energy) to flow freely, maintaining upright posture while feeling energized and alert.[2][5][1] ## In Practice Visualize elongating your spine, opening elbows, wrists, hips, and knees outward to release bound tension down to the bones. Practitioners describe it as yielding to gravity and heaven, mentally and physically, like a baby's natural softness.[3][1][2] ## Benefits Achieving sung improves flexibility, balance, and internal power (like "peng jing"), while reducing stress that blocks qi. It's foundational, practiced in stages from limbs to full-body-and-mind integration.

I'm not really interested in a tit for tat kind of thing Neirong, let's be friends, i'd be happy to learn from you.

I think the general answer to this kind of thing would be 'doesn't matter, carry on'. This is for two reasons. One is that most of these kinds of things are just the result of qi balancing or moving in a certain way. You are clearly quite sensitive so many people would not notice anything much but for you there are 'paranormal experiences'. So the usual answer is - just keep on with the practice. Qigong relies on not just the body and breathing working together but also the mind. If the mind gets drawn into diverting experiences the qigong won't work properly. So in 99% of strange experiences it is best to just let them be and carry on. Now obviously there is also significant stuff which may happen and which should not be ignored. It is best to consult your teacher on this so they can give you a detailed and specific answer - or suggest some practice etc. If this is not available then you will have to address the issues yourself - along the lines of don't be obsessed by the experiences but just note what they are and try to interpret them. This is exactly what you should do. There is no rush to accept or reject a system or practice. You need to make a full evaluation and this should be based on results. So do it with full concentration for 100 days and then review. Do the same for any other system you come across which interests you. Bear in mind while doing this that it is not necessarily that which meets our immediate needs which we seek ... not a kind of window shopping ... but something deeper about what is right for us.

woah! what? Most of these things are probably helpful but the true answer is to 'sung' the body.

That did make me laugh. But imo all Chinese stuff is about the balancing of the two. E.g. DDJ ch. 42: Everyone turns their back on the yin and embraces the yang, But it’s the blending of yin and yang that creates harmony. 萬 物 負 陰|(wan4 wu4 fu4 yin1) 而 抱 陽 也 (er2 bao4 yang2 ye3) 中 氣 為 和 (zhong1 qi4 wei2 he2)

Don't allow the energy flow to your head - brain, as that has severe risks of making one smarter, making one realize their destiny and spiritual path, leading them away from scamgong teachings and worthless practices. You don't want that. Stay grounded.

Simple trick for grounding and diffusing excess energy, I try to do it everyday. 5--30 min is a good metric, pay attention to when your system feels fully "released". -Bare feet on the ground -Tongue to the roof of the mouth -Just stand still.......allow any excess chi to be released into the earth

I've practiced qigong for about 20 years. One thing I've learned is that my expectations need to be realistic. Certainly there are benefits from the forms I practice but qigong has not proven to be a comprehensive and complete system for me. I practice both Shiba Luohangong and Ba Duan Jin and derive valuable and different benefits from each. I have also continued to practice internal Chinese martial arts over that period of time - taijiquan, xingyiquan, and baguazhang. While I no longer compete or train martially with others, these have found a valuable role in my physical, energetic, and mental health. Finally, perhaps most important to me is my meditation practice from a Tibetan tradition. While I do think it's important to stick with a practice for a long time to really probe its depth and potential, I don't know that each one of us can expect to find a single practice or system that does everything we are looking for. Some do and that is wonderful but it hasn't been that way for me. I also think that we need to listen to our body and mind and maintain some openness and flexibility as our needs can change over time.

Take it from a drifter, if you´ve been practicing the same system for two years and feel the benefits, you´re doing pretty darn great!

Not a problem. One more thing: You need to learn from a reputable teacher. This is going to be a tricky part because you aren't just learning by repetition but by shared knowledge and deep experience. It's like the physical process of osmosis. Books and DVDs won't pass you that kind of learning, I'm afraid. Once again, good luck

«If you see the Buddha, kill the Buddha»

That is it!

I never had any ambition, I went with the flow and found what I found.

I can’t either

I practice to become one with God.

I cannot find the answer in the rest of your post.

To find some balance and sanity in this crazy world we live in.

Judging by the humility, honesty and philosophy of that comment, I’m tempted to say it has been a great success

There are a lot of different goals within qigong, some focusing on healing, some on martial power, some on spiritual expansion (this is often in preparation for alchemic work) Imo you should follow your intuition to find one that aligns best with your personal goals (remember there is not a single right choice) Within 100 days you should be able to judge whether the form is helping you to achieve those goals Examples, you'll often feel more youthful and have a higher baseline energy if working with a healing qigong, with martial development you'll get aches in places you didn't know existed, spiritual stuff you'll start to experience the various energetic phenomena leading to expansion of consciousness If you find a really good system it should cause all three Obviously real life isn't so black and white but this is a rough outline of what I've experienced with various systems

Grounding as in keeping the Qi down and making sure Earth Qi is rising (digestive processes and to counter act Wood controlling the Earth ---> Wu Xing theory) and to prevent Liver Yang Rising. My previous post is to illustrate Kati what grounding really means.

Slow breathing seems to be good for you https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC5709795/

And by grounding I meant a lot of physical work thst is tailored for that purpose: 1. Squat 2. Asian Squat and maintain that position for a while 3. *Low basin walking 4. Hiking He Jinghan has a lot of grounding exercises in his YT channel. Ma Bu/Horse stance is very grounding too:

It is heavily dependent on the teacher. A good teacher or system will understand what you are going through, will be able to give you an answer to what is happening. And these answers are "consistent" among good teachers. And it also clarifies teachings you might have heard in the past, but overlooked as insignificant, but are quite important. Pursue this journey gradually, and constantly ask these questions you are asking. Manage your expectations when you commit large portions of your time. Be honest what you gained, and what you did not achieve relative to time spent. Many practitioners I have met, who has good skills, are lazy. Lazy in a sense where they only practiced things that produced results, and applied only what was instructed, did nothing more, nothing less. Extremely picky. A highly precise kind of laziness. And you will realize they all did not so different things. And the lazy me will only pick the practice that is the common denominator of all these lazy people, and only practice those few things they all practice. Not more, Not less. To be the laziest one of all.

The practice I do did it to me and my two teachers can verify that because they experienced the same. Some methods are a lot better than others. I hope you are aware of this principle. You need to find the ONE that works for YOU the BEST.

Don't know Qigong. And don't know why there are so many repeat of the same thread?? But, looking it from an outside view point, which may nothing to do with you, ... Grounding is usually finding that one is not grounded and how to proceed from there. Do you have a teacher?? Certain exercises should be done with fore knowledge and guidance. Energy flows where one believes the consciousness resides. So, going for the head? Disturbing peace and sleep? Yes, it would seem to me to be a red flag. Still the question comes up, do you have a teacher? Well, I am sorry that I can not help. Hopefully you will find a teacher who can help you to move forward in your practice.

I definitely agree. The story also expands your thought processes to what is possible and the world itself is really REALLY small. True Rudi isn’t my teacher but he made a damn good book that’s an excellent read if you are cultivating with any lineage.

I’m not sure my experience fits neatly into how inner alchemy is usually categorised or transmitted, but at a personal level it absolutely feels like an inner alchemical process. My background is primarily Chen Taijiquan, and what I value about that context is that internal change isn’t happening in isolation. Standing, silk reeling, and form all reorganise the internal landscape, but pushing hands in particular provides constant external feedback. If your internal organisation is off, too tense, too vague, too collapsed, too disconnected. it shows up immediately. That makes it much harder to drift into imagined states or self-confirming perceptions. Over time, the practice has led to things that overlap strongly with how inner alchemy is often described: a progressive quieting of internal noise, clearer interoceptive perception, spontaneous changes in posture and breath, and a sense that movement and force arise from a more integrated, whole-body organisation rather than conscious effort. What’s also been important for me is that this hasn’t been purely “meditative” in the narrow sense. There have been clear regulatory and therapeutic effects as well; changes in baseline tension, emotional tone, and how old holding patterns (both physical and their psycho-emotional correlates) unwind. Some of that feels less like cultivating something new and more like allowing previously embedded patterns to reorganise once enough safety and clarity are present. So while I’m cautious about imposing labels, I’m comfortable saying that for me this has absolutely functioned as a form of inner alchemy, one that’s grounded in sensation, constrained by physical reality, and continuously tested through interaction rather than imagery alone. I’d be interested to hear how people with more formal neidan or Daoist training recognise (or don’t recognise) these phases within their own frameworks.